


Reasons

by SSSRHA



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Character Death, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-14
Updated: 2018-11-02
Packaged: 2019-08-02 01:38:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16295819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SSSRHA/pseuds/SSSRHA
Summary: Gabe Ugliano was a horrible person. The End.P.S. People always have their reasons.(Self-imposed challenge. Enjoy.)





	1. Give a Damn

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is part of a challenge I gave myself: take my least-favorite, most horrible characters and write a fanfiction humanizing them. Yeah. Each chapter is going to be short but introspective on the phenomena that is Gabe Ugliano.

**Gabe Ugliano**  was not a nice person. He himself understood that. However, he also didn't give a damn. He didn't give a damn about a lot of things, actually.

His first marriage ended in divorce. He loved her, and maybe she loved him, too. Maybe there had been a possibility for a happily ever after. Unlikely, but possible. He had cared...but not enough, apparently, considering how, in the end, she had loved someone else. However, he didn't give a damn.

He didn't give a damn so much that even though he was invited to her and her husband's funeral after they had died in a car crash, he didn't go. No, he didn't give a damn so much that he had gone to a bar, gotten black-out drunk, and woke up the next morning near where she had lived. He didn't give a damn so much that he spit on the house and cursed at it and yelled at it and nearly killed the small kitten that lived near there until the neighbors finally came and called him out.

(He had taken that kitten home and screamed at it and cursed at it and almost hit it...but then he didn't. He put it outside his house, threw it a few apple slices, and slammed his door shut. The kitten had been there again the next morning and stayed on his front porch for nearly a week. Then it had disappeared, never to return. He never gave a damn.)

When he met Sally Jackson, he liked her. She looked nice, she acted nice,  _she_   _was nice._ She was just like his first wife had been.

Gabe did the only thing he could do. He started to look nice, act nice, and tried to be nice. In the end, he wasn't though. He was a horrible person, worthy of divorce because he wouldn't love enough.

The day after he had married Sally Jackson, the first thing he said was, "Do you love me?"

She said, "Of course!"

Gabe was a horrible person, but he was not an idiot.

_And Sally Jackson was a horrible liar._

Sally Jackson had a son. Perseus Jackson. The first time they had met, Perseus had given him a weary look. "Call me Percy," he had said. Gabe called him Percy out loud, but in his head, he was always Perseus Jackson, the Hero who didn't die.

Perseus Jackson was the first person to yell at him after he had yelled at Sally. Gabe was startled. Why did Perseus care? His mother still loved him, and Gabe yelling at her had no direct effect on Perseus. Why didn't he just ignore it?

_Because,_ Gabe realized,  _Perseus_  loves her enough. Perseus loves his mother,  _loves_   _ **people** ,_ _in a way I never can_.  _No_  one will leave him because  _they'll never have to_.  _He loves enough_.

Gabe didn't know why, but that thought sent him into a murderous rage. He had yelled at him and told him to  _GET OUT!_

Perseus did, but he had dragged his mother with him. Gabe was left alone in the room. Perseus would never figure it out, but this was also the first time Gabe had hit Sally Jackson. It was the first time he had hit anyone in his life. He didn't know what to think about it. It was a spur of the moment decision, something he didn't give any thought before doing.

Gabe realized that he didn't particularly care that he had hurt another human being. In fact, he didn't give a damn. That was the day Gabe realized that he really, truly, genuinely was a horrible human being.

He had left the house that day, ignoring a furious Perseus and quietly sobbing Sally. He had gone to a cemetery. The cemetery, in fact, where both his ex-wife and her husband had been buried. He had stood in front of their graves, a cigarette in his mouth. He had just stood there for maybe an hour before asking he ex-wife's grave something he had never asked her, "Do you love me?"

Gabe never got an answer.

_But he didn't give a damn._

 

**_tbc_ **


	2. Hate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabe Ugliano hated a lot of things.

**Gabe Ugliano** hated a lot of things.

He hated his job working at an electronic mega-mart. He hated how Eddie would win their poker games three out of five times (he had done the math). He hated how his hair was falling out and how much weight he was gaining and that Sally was right about blue food.

What he hated the most, though, was Perseus Jackson. Sure, it was childish. It was petty, idiotic, shallow, and many other synonyms that Gabe had learned via an hour of bored Googling. He couldn't help it. He hated Perseus Jackson.

Perseus Jackson who Sally loved more than everyone in the world, including Gabe.

Perseus Jackson who wasn't a horrible person (not that Gabe gave a damn).

Perseus Jackson who  _couldn't last more than a year in any school._

From strangling a snake (which Gabe thankfully didn't have to witness) to firing war cannons to  _dumping his entire class into a shark tank,_ Gabe didn't think he could possibly hate him anymore.

And then Perseus Jackson had the audacity to make a friend. A good one.

Gabe had learned of it thanks to the monthly letter that Perseus sent home after he started attending Yancy Academy.

_Grover Underwood._

Gabe had hit Sally again that day. Then he walked out of his apartment, got into his car, and  _drove._  He drove and drove and drove all the way back to his old house, the one he had sold. It was someone else's now.

He didn't go there for his house, though. Across the street from his house was a field. It was fenced off, but the owner never took care of it. The grass came up to Gabe's waist and, even though it was probably incredibly stupid, Gabe climbed the fence and jumped into the field.

Gabe waded through the grass, jumping every now and then when he heard a sound or felt a bug. He went around the whole field, not knowing what he was doing.

Finally, he came back to the fence. He climbed over and was about to walk to his car when something moved in the corner of his eye. His head snapped to the side.

He saw a cat, four kittens following it in a line.

None of them was the kitten that had lived on his porch for a short period of time. The kittens were too young and the cat was all brown with black spots. The kitten had been white with brown stripes.

He stared at the cats as they walked across the street and went under the fence. The last kitten in the line paused and turned to Gabe. It regarded him with the cold eyes that only felines had, then turned and bounded into the grass after its siblings and mother.

Gabe climbed into the car and drove back home. It was well after midnight by the time he got back, and Sally was asleep in bed.

She was smiling.

Gabe hated a lot of things. His job to his many poker losses to his appearance to his step-son to his wife's smile.

He never hated Sally, though.

He hit her and he didn't care, and she would cry and he wouldn't care. He never did care enough. He didn't like that she lied to him and continued to lie to him.

She didn't love him. He didn't love her.

But he never once in his life hated her. "Do you love me?"

Gabe was met only with his wife's snores and that smile.

Gabe hated a lot of things.

_This silence was one of them._

**_tbc_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it! Again, it's pretty short but I make no apologies because I've already told you about that. Once again, I've tried to keep him in character while humanizing him. Can you comment and tell me if I succeeded? I want to grow as a writer and it would really help. Thanks!
> 
> I hope that you've had a great day and, if not, then I hope tomorrow's better! Until next time, this is SSSRHA, signing out!


	3. The Hero Who Didn't Die

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He hated the silence.

**Gabe was**  alone in the living room when she came. He had recently won a poker game and now he sat in silence.

_He hated the silence._

When she walked in, he gave her a quick glance. He then went back to the money in his hands, counting and recounting them, reassuring himself that, no, nothing had disappeared.

She held something in her arms. It was covered in a blanket.

Gabe sighed. "You didn't buy something without telling me, did you?"

Sally shook her head. "No, no I didn't. This is from Percy."

Gabe scowled. "I don't want to see it. Throw it out."

"Actually," Sally said, "I think it would be better if you saw it."

Gabe turned to Sally, a furious look on his face. "I don't give a damn about what you think! I want whatever your son gave you out of my sight!"

Sally scowled. She actually scowled. Gabe paused.

"Gabe Ugliano," she said, her voice frigid. "You have hurt not only me but also my son. You are a horrible human being, a waste of space-"

"Did it take you that long to figure it out?" Sally blinked. "Yes, I'm a horrible person. Guess what, dear? I don't give a damn!"

And then Gabe laughed a laugh so sickening that even he stopped and looked disgusted. Gabe cleared his throat. "You know something, though?"

"What?" Sally snapped.

"You look nice when you scowl like that. I never did like your smile."

Sally paused at how genuine that comment was. She shook it off and straightened her back.

"Gabe Ugliano, you will no longer be a hindrance to the Jackson family."

"What?" Gabe asked. "You're gonna off me?"

"Yes," Sally said simply.

There was a short silence. Sally was tense, ready to move at a moment's notice.

Gabe, however, let out a sigh. "You know," Gabe said, "I was married to someone else before you."

"I know," she said carefully. "You told me on our third date."

"She was the love of my life...I wasn't her's, though. Remember the day after our wedding when I asked if you loved me?"

"I said yes," Sally said through gritted teeth.

"And I've always known it was a lie...I hate Perseus."

"Percy."

"Your son. I've hated him since the day he defended you against me."

"I figured that out a long time ago."

"Yet you did nothing. It took your son getting kidnapped and dragged across the country to realize that I was no good for you."

"...why are you saying this?" Sally finally asked.

"Might as well get it all over with. Now, why'd you stay? Why didn't you leave like any sane person should?"

"I have my reasons."

"Everyone does, Sally. What are yours?"

"What are yours?"

Gabe blinked. He shook his head and chuckled. "Just as stubborn as always. Hey, how long did it take you to find blue food?"

"Five minutes and a drive to the supermarket."

"Heh." There was another silence. "Maybe this could have worked. In another life." He finally, truly looked her in the eye. "See you then."

She gave him a weird look. "See you then."

Gabe then gave her a taunting grin. "I still hope Perseus burns in Hell, though."

Sally's eyes widened. She then gave him a sickeningly sweet smile. "Goodbye, dear."

Sally took the blanket off of the thing. Gabe's eyes widened in shock. He had expected everything from a pocket knife in fancy casing to a bomb.

What he hadn't been expecting was a severed head with snakes for hair.

_Medusa._

_That's what I get for trying love the mother of the Hero who didn't die._

**tbc**


	4. The End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was his The End.

**Gabe was**  never a religious person. When he was young, he had read everything from the Bible to the Vedas, trying to find something that seemed to call him. Nothing did. Consequently, he didn't have much faith in an afterlife of any kind. Reincarnation was always something that he found interesting, though. Living again would certainly be nice.

When he was faced with judgment, though, he certainly believed. He suddenly regretted not giving a damn.

"We hereby sentence you to the Fields of Punishment," one of the three judges, the one in the middle, said.

"...what?" Gabe asked uncertainly.

"Er...Hell," the one on the right supplied.

"Oh..."

"You are dismissed."

Two skeleton men came up and were about to drag him away when he suddenly said, "Wait, I have two questions."

The skeletons paused. The three judges whispered among themselves before the one in the middle said, "You may ask."

"Can I meet my first wife?"

The one in the middle glanced at the one on the right (who Gabe just realized was  _Steve_ _Jobs),_  who said, "She's in the Fields of Asphodel. You can't meet her even if you tried. What's your second question?"

Gabe frowned but said, "What will happen to Perseus Jackson?"

The one on the left, who Gabe vaguely recognized as Marie Curie, barked out a laugh. "We don't know the future! No one does! However, it is very likely that your step-son will die a violent death."

Gabe nodded. "Good."

"Good?!" the one in the middle growled. "You dare-"

Gabe suddenly realized that he had just angered Mahatma Gandhi.

Wait, an Agnostic, a Hindu, and a Buddhist were in the same afterlife. So...what was the real religion?

"I have another question."

"Your two questions are done. You're due in the Fields of Punishment. You are dismissed."

Gabe was dragged off.

* * *

 

**When Gabe**  regained consciousness, the first thing he saw was a pair of eyes the color of the sea.

"Perseus," Gabe growled.

The boy just raised an eyebrow. "What do you want, old man?"

"I'm not old!"

"And I'm not the person you most hate."

Gabe scowled and Perseus mirrored him. "What are you doing here, brat?"

Perseus gave him an almost predatory grin. "Torturing you, what else?"

"Well, you're doing a horrible job."

"We'll see," Perseus hummed. "You're a horrible person, you know."

"I don't give a damn!"

"Sure you don't. It's no wonder Mom killed you. You're a waste of space." Perseus's eyes flashed. "Even your first wife thought so."

Gabe gave a low growl. "What does she have to do with anything?"

"She left you, didn't she? She knew you weren't worth it. Something like that doesn't happen to a decent person, after all."

"Shut up!"

"Another man," Perseus continued. "She left you for someone who cared."

"I cared!" Gabe yelled. "I did!"

"Then why did she leave you?"

"Because...because..."

"Look at you," Perseus spat. "You're so pathetic that you can't even admit that your first wife was a horrible person. I can't believe that I'm associated with you."

"She's not a horrible person!"

"Stop lying to yourself!" Perseus yelled. "You're pathetic! How sad is it that a grown man can't even admit to himself that his wife didn't love him!"

"She did!" Gabe roared. He tackled Perseus and was about to punch him. Perseus wasn't under him anymore, though. He was behind him.

Perseus breathed onto Gabe's shoulder. "Gabe," he said, "accept it. Your life was horrible and it's all your fault."

Gabe couldn't take it anymore. Tears started to stream down his face.

After all, he was dead. This was his The End.

_He never even got his Happily Ever After_.

**_tbc_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, all that's left is the Epilogue! I can't wait!
> 
> I hope that you've had a good day and, if not, I hope tomorrow's better. Until next time, this is SSSRHA, signing out!


	5. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just as the Fates decreed.

**Perseus Jackson**  would forever remember the day he found out that Gabe Ugliano was dead.

Killed by his mother's hand...or, at least, Medusa's head which was in her hands.

He would never forget the second of pure _glee_ that surged through him.

Because Gabe was  _dead._

Gabe who he hated with a passion. Gabe who hated him back. Gabe who smelled. Gabe who lived a miserable existence, seemingly only there to mooch off of his mother.

Gabe who his mother never loved.

And now he's dead.

Was he in the Fields of Punishment? Probably. Did he deserve it?

No. He deserved  _worse._  He deserved to burn in the pits of Tartarus for what he had done to them.

For what he had done to his mother.

Because Gabe hit her and that was unforgivable.

And Percy moved on. He forgot Gabe existed. He forgot that his mother had killed him. He forgot because why on Earth would he try to remember such a man?

And so Gabe was forgotten. 

* * *

 

**Gabe Ugliano**  had left behind a will.

Everything but his poker table went to Sally.

It wasn't very surprising, considering the fact that it was either her or Percy.

And he hated Percy.

So Sally was once again in control of her life.

And Eddie got a new poker table. 

* * *

 

**Gabe was**  never found. He was mourned only by Eddie and his poker buddies, who now had one less person to win money from.

Gabe Ugliano was a horrible person and, after death, he was given exactly what he gave to the world:  _Nothing._

Just as the Fates decreed.

**_fin_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well...this is it. The end. I hope that you've enjoyed this and that it has opened your mind a bit. Every character has a story, even if you're the one who has to write it.
> 
> Please don't be shy to give this a Kudos or Comment! I hope that you've had a great day and if not, I hope that tomorrow is better. This is SSSRHA, signing out!


End file.
